Safety-catch.



T. MOUNTFORD. SAFETY CATCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1909.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

vvifncoo ca UNITED s'rATns PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MOUNTFORD, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BLANCARD & COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

SAFETY-CATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MOUN'I'FORD, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Catches, of which the following is a specifieation.

This invention relates to a safety catch, for use on jewelry such as breast pins, brooches and the like, the safety catch being adapted to lock :1. fastening pin, used on such articles, so that the same will not become unfastened until released in the desired manner; and the objects of the invention are to prevent accidental opening of catches while at the same time permitting them to be opened easily when desired, further objects of the invention being to construct a safety catch of few, and simple parts, that can be easily assembled with little or no adjustment, and at a small expense.

To the accomplishment of the above objects and to such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of a safety catch for retaining a fastening pin in a closed position and comprises a suitable fastening pin pivoted at one end, and free at the other, the same being secured to any article of jewelry to which is also secured my improved safety catch for retaining the free end of the fastening pin.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of an article provided with a safety catch embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side view of the safety catch. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the same. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side view of the reverse side shown in Fi 3. Fig. 6 is a view in cross section of Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the safety catch unfastened.

In the drawings A designates a piece of jewelry or the like which may be of any suitable construction, to the back of one end of which is secured a pivotal support B, which in the present instance is provided with a pivot pin 0, to which is secured the fastening pin D as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Secured to the other end of the back A is the improved safety catch for retaining the pointed end portion of the fastening pin D. In the present instance the safety catch comprises a pin guard E, the upper end of which is bent in the shape of a hook as shown at F, while the lower portion of the pin guard is preferably provided with the oppositely-arranged integral bearing sides G, in which is secured a pin II.

Pivotally mounted upon the pin H is one arm of the L-shaped or two armed catch member K, the other arm of which is adapted to project through a slot M, situated in the pin guard E between the bearing sides G. Either or both of the arms of the catch member K are made resilient. The arm of the catch member K which extends through the slot M and across the bight of the hook F is provided with a notch N which is adapted to engage the upper edge or shoulder of the slot M to lock the catch member in closed position, as shown in Figs. 4 and (3, in which position the elbow portion of said catch member is in engagement with the hook portion of guard.

In order to open the catch it is necessary to press downward on the end 0 of the arm of the catch member which projects through the slot M, so as to release the notch N from engagement with the upper edge or shoulder of the slot M, which is accomplished by springing the arm of the catch member K by pressing downward thereon; after which the catch member is pulled to the right, thereby moving the elbow portion of the catch member out of engagement with the hook portion of the guard E, leaving the fastening pin D free to be moved from engagement with the hook end of the guard E, as shown in Fig. 7.

To close the catch it is only necessary to move the catch member K to the left by pressing on the end 0 until the notch N springs into engagement with the upper edge of the slot M, at which time the elbow por tion of the catch member is in engagement with the hook portion F of the guard E, to lock the fastening pin D in position.

A safety catch such as above described is very simple in construction, and has but few parts which are easy to manufacture and assemble together. The same is also a very eflicient safety catch that can only be opened by pressing downward upon the portion 0 of the catch member and can not be opened in any other manner.

WVhile the invention has been described with particular reference to the details of construction it is not to be considered as limited thereto as many and Various changes may be made and still fall within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A pin holding catch comprising a pin guard bent into a hook at one end, a two armed L-shaped catch member one arm of which is pivoted to said pin guard near its outer end and means on said pin guard for engaging the end of the other arm of the said catch member to lock the same in closed position, in which position the elbow of said catch member is in coacting proximity with the hook end of said guard, said catch member being resilient and arranged to yield to pressure to open said catch.

2. A pin holding catch such as described,

comprising a hook shaped pin guard provided with a slot, and a resilient two-armed catch member, one arm of which is pivoted at one end to said guard, the other arm of said catch member extending across the bight of the hook of said guard the end of said arm extending through the slot in said guard for engagement with one of the edges of said slot, said catch member being arranged to yield to pressure to open said catch.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

THOMAS MOUNTFORD.

Vitnesses LEO J. MATTY, A. G. BLAUEARD. 

